The Checklist...

I am so bad about blogging. I am barely able to post on facebook all the cool things my horse is doing. :) This will be a little run down of the things we have done in the last month.



1.

The First Photo Shoot

June 19th, 2012

Taken by Kristina Andreasen

2.

We have managed to switch fom the Web Halter to the Rope Halter.

I am putting the halter on and off everyday. 

3.

Mane & Tail are being brushed daily 

4.

Mane & Tail are being braided daily 

5.

He takes his wormer like a good boy

June 10th, 2012

6.

Fly Sprayed

(No Photo)

7.

Spraying Vetericyn on his face

He has a few soars from the web halter

(No Photo)

8.

Pivots

(No Photo)

9.

Leads

(No Photo)

10.

Run Sticks down all four of his legs.

(No Photo)

11.

Picking up his front feet

(with help from my 22 foot rope)

12.

Flexes

but only to the left.



A Few More Pieces to the Puzzle

This week has been a week of change. Cut Across and I are finally building a partnership, we are a working team. I have been using the carrot stick to walk up and be able to touch him. Now I can just walk up to him and touch him.

I have been trying to get him ready for the web halter to come off and the rope halter to go on. With him being so head shy this task has been proven to be a little complicated, but I am not giving up. We are going to work through this together.

I use my stick to touch up on the top of his head and under his neck and chin. At first he flinches and takes his head away, but after a few times with the lung wipe, I started using the carrot stick. Finally I got to use my hands. He stopped flinching as bad and was not pulling his head away as much. It seemed to be a good place to stop. When I went to walk out he acually started to follow me.

 

Friday I only had 15 minutes with him, since it was Team Penning night. My schedule is crazy. I work from 8AM - 4:30PM then I get him around 5PM to help hook up the trailer, load horse and tack and make the drive to Rosamond, CA. Hopefully we have time to warm up the horses, fugure out the teams and pay for our runs before it starts at 7:30PM, Then we all team pen till about 10PM or 11PM.

So with my limited amount of time I knew I needed to do something with him so I decided to intoduce a brush. He let me brush his shoulder and down his side, up on his spine and down to his belly, from his chest to his butt. :) Then I got a comb and brushed out his mane! For an Appy he has a GREAT mane.

So Saturday after work I was in such a good mood, I was preparing myself to be out there for a long time. I took in my comb and rebrushed his mane and his body. I did add a few elements. All down his neck to his chest. Then under his neck and to his chin.

 From his chin to his cheek.

Then I intoduced the lead rope. I would rub it on his back and his shoulder then his neck, chin and cheek. After about the third time I tried to clip it on. After I went a little slower and spent a little more time on just rubbing him than clipping it on. I actually got it on.

After I got his lead rope on we started working on giving to pressure. That was interesting. He would rear up and go over and bolt away. Eventually, after a few rope burns and unsucessful attempt a being domestic, he took a step and looked at me. So I left him alone. Then I decided to braid his mane.

Then I needed a NICEpicture of the two of us together :) I asked Hailie to come out a help get a good shot. I actually really liked them.

Walking up to put the halter on him.

The Mahan's Made a Break Through

 

This week has been a HUGE change for me and Cut Across, in our relationship and as individuals. I am finding that, like my horses, I am a slow processor. This causes me to make snap judgments. I was unsure if I was going to make the 120 day journey to Texas. I was going to just go with the flow, no time schedule. I adopted him, but I do not have to go to Texas and show. And then we hit a MAJOR break through. After being able to rub him with the carrot stick, I began to walk up the stick. Very slowly, I would take steps towards him.

FINALLY.....

 .....I put my hand on him and put the stick down. He was unsure of it, but he did not spook, jump or bolt away. He actually was interested in what I was doing. He made an effort to bend his head and look at me. After working on this for a few days in the smaller pen, I moved him into the bigger pen. With some effort and a little reminder course, we were ready!

 We added a few more steps in this process. I would rub him till he would turn his head a look at me. Not just turn his head and look away really fast. I wanted him to actually make an effort to keep his eyes on me. After that I started rubbing from his shoulder to his butt, up on his back and down to his belly.

I left him on a great note. I was rubbing him and he turned his head and sniffed me. HE SNIFFED ME!! Oh I am so happy :) Tomorrow is another day and we are heading up! I am so ready for this. After all his hard work, he has earned his dinner :) His grain and lots of Alfalfa.